The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1887-04-07
SOUTHERN OHIO FARMING.
Clover on Clay.

Clover on Clay.
On the river lowlands clover, like
Dogberry's reading and writing,
''comes by nature;" but on the clay
uplands it requires strenuous effort to
grow it for term Of years. Where
it is needed most it is hardest to Sc
cure.
The valley soil came ultimately
from the hills; the decayed vegetable
matter on the hillsides and tops is car
ried away by the rain, washed down
the streams and deposited, in whole or
in part, along the valley. Hence the
percentage of vegetable mold in the
valley soil is higher than on the hills,
where the mineral elements prevail.
Hence, further, clover is more needed
on the latter class Of soils than on the
former.
But mineral soil-commonly call
ed poor SOILS more susceptible to
the action of frost than vegetable or
rich soil, and frost destroys clover by
heaving it out. Does it pay to 60 to
the expense of buying clover seed
where it is so soon winter-killed? [
find the best upland farmers Of my
acquaintance think so; but they say
further, it is not necessary to purchase
to purchase clover seed. Every up
land farmer ought to grow his own
supply, and especially now when
wheot is so low. | find that, in Wash
ington County, clover is a sort of ba-
rometer of the upland farmers purse.
The one who grows it and has enough
to furnish his own seed is generally
making little money, while the one
who grows none is generally making
a bare living. Where clover is so
quickly winter-killed, let the farmer
SOW it the more and the oftener, save
his seed and use it, and so make one
hand wash the other
Mr. F. McNeal finds that it is hard
to get stand Of clover, especially on
hilltops and on spouty hillsides; but
where the drainage is good, naturally
or artifcially, it is not much more diff
ficult than on the river bottoms. But
he would SOW clover on clay if it took
half the seed he could raise every
year. His stand was not good this
year; had only about 25 bushels of
seed on Is acres.
A very important use of clover is
as destroyer Of the dewberry or run
ming brier, which spreads rapidly, TAX
ing root at the end of the vine like a
raspberry, and forming one of the
greatest pests Of the hill farm. Sheep
cannot extirpate it unaided. Mr.. Nc
Neal had field which was nearly
overrun with it. He sowed it in wheat
two years in succession then the third
year cut clover crop off it twice dur
ing the summer, and this course of
treatment nearly did the business for
the dewberry. Two cuttings year
are severe on it. Mr.. McNeal is one
of our most intelligent farmers and
Merino breeders, and his testimony
in favor of clover on clay is valuable.
Mr.. N. Winding, neighbor,
bought an old worn-out clay farm
fourteen years ago and has steadily
clovered it ever since. He prefers to
SOW it in the chaff in January or Feb
ruary, on the snow; if he does not
have a good "clover snow" until
March, then he prefers to SOW the
clean. Seldom fails to get a good
stand, sown as above on wheat. "Does
not spare the seed' when he sows. He
had this year 284 bushels of seed on
eleven acres.
He usually gets two crops of hay
and one Of seed from each sowing;
but has once in a series of favorable
seasons. obtained five crops of hay and
four Of seed-proftable crops, too
from single sowing, which is rath-
er remarkable record for clay farm.
Mr.. NJ does not think it best
to harvest the last crop of seed,
but leaves it for stock or for the land
-"makes the land a present Of that
much"
Finds that yellow clay is not so
hard on clover as red clay, does not
heave it out so much. And the yellow
clay needs it more than red. Has
found, in the course of fourteen years,
that the clover has materially mel
lowed the soil of his farm, loosened it
up by the mechanical action Of the
roots and by the decay Of the stems
and the roots plowed under.
Year by year, therefore, the soil is
better prepared for clover; each crop
grown makes it more easy for its gain
Ing afoothold, and increases its chances
of making a successful fight with the
frost in the winter. From this it
would appear that clay soil would
bear long succession of crops with
out becoming ''clover sick," if indeed
it ever reached that condition of sur
felt.
Notwithstanding this mellowing
and enriching action of clover upon
the soil, Mr.. M. has not yet reached a
point in the betterment of his fields
where he has ventured to cut loose
from the fertilizer-sack and SOW crop
of wheat without bone dust. So far
he has been content with his clover
hay and seed and the rich rowen in
fall for his cows, with the steady in
crement Of fertility to the land as
yearly deposit in the bank.
He too, has found clover, alternat-
ing with wheat, the most effectual ex-
terminator of the dewberry ry.-Stephen
PoaUers IN Ohio Farmer.
Don't Experiment.